The Body of Love is the last song I wrote with Christian language, imagery, and symbol. At its core, however, The Body of Love is a love song to Linda.

All of my adult life was spent working in the Church. I love the richness of the language, the simple beauty of the symbols, and the depth of meaning found in the imagery and movements used in ritual.  (Almost) everything in the Liturgical Rites of the Church communicates “relationship”: relationship to each other, to the earth, to the past, present and future; with self and relationship with God. 

If you are familiar with the Catholic Mass you know that the “high point” is in receiving Communion.  However, everything that happens (liturgy = work of the people) at Mass tells the story of “relationship”. Every song, prayer, assembly response, reading, movement of the Priest and people, vestments, environment, color, at times smell, and even the silence, leads to the presentation of the lives of those gathered being placed on the Altar with Christ who is giving His life. We are sharing the whole of our lives by the sharing of a meal; the simplest and most basic human experience between two or more people. 

“As we share this meal, we are one; one in the Body of Love.”

When I wrote, The Body of Love I was in love with Linda but could not openly express it at the time. But that love I felt reminded me of that mystical union of sharing a meal and in doing so, sharing life. And when sharing a life one shares the laughter and pain, dignity and the call to be completely who you are, the history, present, and future; all of life joined together as one life; The Body of Love.